The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-09-14
SORGHUM SUGAR
Commissioner Coleman EIstsd Over tbs Fort
Scott Works Saccsss.
The Diffusion Process Gets More Out of
the Plant Than the Old Plan-A Paying
PIant-In the Future.


presses himself as being delighted with the
results obtained already. He says the ex-
periments consist in the trial of a new pro-
cess in making sugar in this country,
which dispenses entirely with the costly
and ponderous mills and steam engines,
etc., and uses q far simpler and less expen-
sive method for extracting the Juice, by
which all the saccharine matter is OBJ
tanned, while by the former methods from
thirty TO forty per cent. on the average of the
juice, even with the southern sugar cane, is
left in the cane after passing through the
mill, and with sorghum a still larger
quantity because of greater difficulty in
extracting.
The new process is called the diffusion or
saturation process. The cane is cut into
chips and passed into battery of twelve
cells, each holding ton of chips. Hot
wster is then applied which rapidly ex-
hausts the saccharine matter so thor.
oughly that there is scarcely trace of 1t
left. The cells are entirely practical, be-
ing speedily filed, manipulated and emp
tied, one man attending the entire opera
ton. The process is as rapid as the old
method, less COSTLY and enables the manu-
facturers to secure and utilizs all the juics
instead of half as heretofore. Similar ex-
periments were made last year, but the
cutters machinery, and the method were
all new here, and self difficulties occurred
which could not be overcome at once.
Some $4,000 pounds of sugar we're, how
ever made last year, though we considered
the experiment failure.
The commissioner said: Having had
more time and the experience of last year
to guide us, am more than pleased to be
able to say that all the difficulties seem
now TO have been overcome. The people
of Fl. Scott, after the first weeks success
full working of the factory, were carried
away with enthusiasm. The Board of
| Trace called q special meeting and filled
| or of the largest halls in the city, where
| congratulatory speeches were made, fol-
lowed by a banquet, and there was general
rejoicing throughout the city"
| THE department is also conducting eX-
ptrimerts at Rio Grand, New Jersey, with
the Same process, and l have just received
telegram from our superintendent who
| SAYS: AS nearly as can be estimated from
| the maseCute in the hot room, the first
acre of cane will yield about HOO pounds
| of crystalized sugar This confirms the
| experiments at Fl Scott, the yield not be-
ing quite as large in New Jersey-the soil
| not being so rich.
THE results of these experiments upon
the country will, l believe, be most bene-
fetal Our nation is paying 800 900, 900
annually to the sugar producers Of other
countries, and if we have demonstrated
that We can proftably produce sugar on
our own farms, it is matter of the highest
importance to the country. It will not
only keep this money at home, but Will
save to our people 100000 annually in
customs duties. Col. Parkinson, the man.
sger at st. Scott, would have been satisfied
with seventy-five pounds of crystalizsd
sugar per ton and with the seed and mo-
lasses at present prices, could have run his
factory at profit, but now, when he comes
to get at least fifty pounds more per ton
his enthusiasm is very great. cannot see
why our people should not go to making
sugar. A complete Sugar factory will cost
about Rs much es Touring mill, and can be
run at great profit according to the present
experiment.
"Farmers are glad to raise the cane at 81
per ton, and at that it pays better than
other farm products. There is an over
production of most farm crops, making
prices ruinously low, and if this new in
dustry will employ portion of those now
raising other things at no profit, it will
give great relief to the farming classes and
open a most promising field for both farmer
and manufacturer. The annual consump-
ton of sugar per capita is about forty
pounds. Our population is doubling every
twenty years. At the end OF the next 25
years we will be paying at least 5000 600, 900
for sugar per year. This money we can
keep at home and distribute among our
own people l look upon these experiments
as important to this country as the
invention of the cotton gin. They have
demonstrated that we have sugar plant
that can be grown, and no Touring mill
is more surely turning out its quota oil
-four than are the Parkinson Sugar Works
at FtScott, Kas., turning out their quota OF
sugar to-day, and Sugar Of the best quality,
polarizing 1889. Tue mill is capable OF
working up every twenty hours $50 tons OF
cane, making therefrom $1,000 pounds oil
sugar or more.
"From the first swinging in the centri
fugals, from 100 to las pounds OF sugar pei
ton of cane was obtained, and about twenty
pounds more are expected from the second
swinging. A yield of from ten to
fifteen tons of cane per acre was
being secured, which would produce by
this new process from 200 to ], 800 pounds
of sugar. This sugar is worth by the car
load 61zc per pound. left there after the
first weeks work, and it was'estimated that
over 100, 600 pounds Of sugar had already
been made. The sugar was there to be
seen by everybody, too. Nor is this all.
To every ton of cane, aside from the sugar
In it, there are some ten or twelve gallons
of molasses, and also the seed raised upon
the cane, amounting to about twenty e We
bushels per acre, and just as good for feed
ing all kinds Of stock as Indian corn. In
deed the seed, il is estimated, will pay tor
raising the cane, which is a merit possessed
by no other sugar plant"
As"It has taken long time to overcome al
of the obstacles that have been met, but
they have been overcome, as it now seems
This new process will be tried on Southern
cane. / have arranged for conducting
similar experiments in Louisiana with the
ribbon cane and we have all the necessary
machinery now ready for conducting the
most crucial tests in comparison with the
best milling processes in existence, A!
the Southern cane does not mature until
November, we cannot begin our expert
ments until that time, but
am sanguine of their success
/ am not unmindful that there has beer
much enthusiasm expressed in the past re
lative to sorghum sugar. The trouble ws'
that under the old systems but forty
pounds OF sugar per ton OF cane could b.
obtained, while under the new process
much more than 100 pounds is obtained
Therefore, while under the old methods il
was sound improbable TO make sugar
under the new system the large increased
yield will prove profitable industry, ever
at the present prices Of sugar. / may b'
called enthusiastic, but seeing is believing
and from what have seen In the past few
weeks believe that in few years time
everybody will admit that there is very
good grounds for my present enthusiasm.
|